The Daily Bradlo 2/12/2019

1: Tentative Deal Reached On Gov’t Funding

Congressional negotiators said on Monday they had reached a deal “on principle” to fund the government.

The announcement came after a fresh round of uncertainty over the prospects of deal on Sunday when lawmakers said negotiations had stalled due to Democratic demands for a cap on the number of illegal immigrants U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Agents can detain.

The New York Times reports that the deal includes $1.375 billion for 55 miles of physical barriers — far less than the $5 billion President Donald Trump has demanded for 200 miles of barriers.

Speaking at a rally in El Paso, Texas, President Trump said he had been briefed on negotiations but said “we’re building the wall anyways.”

Congress has just four days to put the deal into legislative form, pass it, and have President Trump sign it before funding for the government runs which would lead to another partial government shutdown.

2: Rep. Ilhan Omar Apologizes For Anti-Semetic Tweet

After mounting pressure from top Congressional Democrats to apologize from suggesting that American politicians only support Israel because of money for lobbyists, rather than on principle, Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) issued an apology on Twitter saying:

“Anti-Semitism is real and I am grateful for Jewish allies and colleagues who are educating me on the painful history of anti-Semitic tropes. My intention is never to offend my constituents or Jewish Americans as a whole. I unequivocally apologize.”

Omar’s apology came hours after Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) released a statement condemning Omar’s comments:

3: Cohen Postpones Senate Intelligence Testimony

President Donald Trump’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen, is postponing his testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee citing health reasons after a recent surgery.

Cohen had been subpoenaed to testify before the committee in regards to that committee’s ongoing investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential campaign.

NY Gov. Cuomo To Meet With Trump

New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo is scheduled to meet with President Trump at the White House today in an attempt to convince the president to make changes to the 2017 tax overhaul bill which Cuomo says is hurting New York and other “Democratic states,” the Albany Times Union reports.

Tuesday’s meeting comes after Cuomo announced that the state is facing a $2.3 billion shortfall in revenue. The governor has said the 2017 tax overhaul, which implemented a rollback of state and local tax, deductions known as SALT, has led residents to leave the state leading to the shortfall.

Cuomo contends that the tax law “has redistributed wealth in this nation from Democratic states, from so-called blue states to red states. This is literally taking from the richer states and transferring to the states with less income.”